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Lastings Milledge made a lot of waves after he came up with the Mets last summer. He pissed off opponents and his own teammates with his outsized celebrations and perceived ego earning him condemnation within his own clubhouse. A note reading "Know your place, rook!" was pinned to his locker and there were grumblings that Milledge believed his own hype a little too much for someone with less than a month of time in the Show. That's nothing compared to the firestorm he set off this week with the release of a rap song called "Bend Ya Knees" by a rapper named Manny D which Milledge both produced and appears on in the guise of L Millz.
The song hits the Triple Crown of inflammatory rap words - "rich (N word)," "wealthy (N word)," a "top-notch ho" and having "a different bitch for every night" - and Milledge is catching a ton of flack for being involved with it. There are suggestions that the Mets should release him, suspend him, trade him, flay him in the town square...everything and anything so long as it's a strong condemnation. The Mets, for their part, have announced that they "disapprove of the content, language and message of this recording, which does not represent the views of the New York Mets." Which I guess means there won't be a Manny D night forthcoming at Shea Stadium.
What should they do? I don't really think they need to do all that much. They should probably prevail upon Milledge that it's not in his best interests to release songs with offensive language. I don't feel that way because I'm offended or because I question Milledge's right to record such words but because they are a business, Milledge is part of that business and it hurts both of them if people find his work offensive. Allen Iverson went through something like this in 2000 when he recorded his own rap single but after criticism from inside and outside the NBA he shelved the album. Obviously Milledge hasn't achieved an eighth of what Iverson had by the 2000 season but it's not like he participated in a criminal act or anything. It's just a song, even if it's an offensive one and the Mets would be very shortsighted if they decided to get rid of a potentially helpful player because of it.
However they may have an easy out if they want to make a deal involving Milledge, who is currently on the disabled list. Carlos Gomez has done well in his limited time since being recalled and Fernando Martinez, a ballyhooed outfield prospect, is on the horizon so they have some cover if they choose to move the talented, on the field anyway, L Millz. If he should mature, though, and develop into the player that many think he could be Omar Minaya, who resisted trading Milledge for much needed pitching last year, would look like quite the fool for bowing to outside pressure.
As a rookie, Lastings lackadaisical play made us ask if his head was in this game. Now I wonder how much his heart is in it too. If Billy Beane calls this trade deadline, I'm listening. Joe Blanton (4-1, 3.48 ERA) is looking mighty nice right about now. (Eddie D'Anna, Staten Island Advance)
He clearly has not an ounce of sense that the company from which he soon wants to be paid hundreds of thousands of dollars requires public approval to do business. His enablers will point Milledge is still young, but clueless at 21 has turned into clueless at 22 with no indication that the kid, who comes from a good family and should know better, is growing up any time soon. (Jay Greenberg, New York Post)
On the strength of general manager Omar Minaya's shrewd dealings and the great fortune of having two exuberant young superstars in Jose Reyes and David Wright, the climate around the Mets has changed over the last few years. Where once they were dour, stodgy, and bland — best personified by the utterly anonymous Todd Zeile's utterly anonymous play (which itself represented an improvement on sociopathy) — they're now radiant and joyous. The positive atmosphere surrounding the team is changing the way people treat them. Formerly a joke — even at periods of great success — the Mets now have a chance to become one of baseball's flagship franchises...That's good for the Mets, but not so good for Milledge. It's getting harder to imagine him fulfilling his potential on the New York stage. (Tim Marchman, New York Sun)
Does anyone really believe Lastings Milledge will ever become a regular on the Mets? Sorry, just can't see it happening. Maybe a few days ago we would have given him a fighting chance, but not anymore. His involvement on this rap CD with questionable material clinches it. (Jim Baumbach, Newsday)
In the annals of ridiculous Lastings Milledge photos, this one (ed. note - the same one seen above), from the New York Daily News blog, is a rather classic one: It's like if Outkast met Cliff Huxtable. Anyway, Milledge, currently on the AAA DL, is rapping up a storm, and he's saying some of those terrible, terrible words everyone's always so worried about. In the NBA this would be no big deal, but baseball has, like, six black fans. (Deadspin)
I am not going to say much on this, but why after the whole Don Imus bit, would anyone do this? Especially an African-American athlete with the profile of Lastings Milledge? Sure, in the United States, you can do you please and express yourself or whatever you believe in whatever language you care to desire, but people in the public eye should really watch what they say. Especially someone who has been under as much scrutiny as Milledge? (Oriole Post)
Honestly, he probably would have been better off asking Damion Easley to twirl a few profanity-laden verses. At least he hit 27 dingers in a season once. To this point in his career, L Millz (to use his rap moniker) is pretty much synonymous with some reasonably spectacular braids, a cheap imitation of Gary Sheffield’s batting stance and a whole bunch of hype. Not necessarily what we’re looking for in a rap album. (The Off-Color Commentator)
Here are my thoughts on this: there is, in fact, a conduct clause in players' contracts. Milledge, with this song, has probably violated that to a certain extent. He is at fault. But what I will not do is stand on a throne from up high and lash out about how immature and immoral Lastings Milledge is. And, why is that? Because Jay Greenberg of the NY Post has already done that for you, everybody! (The song uses the same word as Don Imus did! The Mets' regrets would seem more sincere if they traded or suspended him, so the organization is clear they won't stand for type of stuff!) So, you know, if you're looking for that line of thought, you can follow the above link. I wouldn't recommend it, though. (PostmanR, The Fanhouse)
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